Rabbi Tzvi ben Rabbi Yisrael was born around 5485 (1725). The son of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, he studied under his father and under his uncle, Rabbi Avraham Gershon of Kitov.

According to a later Chabad tradition, after the passing of the Baal Shem Tov in 5520 (1760) he was placed at the head of his father's disciples for one year. On the second day of Shavuot, the day after his father's first yahrzeit, he presided at the table wearing his father's garments and declared that his father had appeared to him and instructed him to pass the leadership to Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch. He then relinquished his position before the entire holy fellowship and gave the Maggid his outer cloak.

He first married Malka, the mother of his children. After her death he married Beila, daughter of Rabbi Shmuel Chassid of Pinsk, moved to Pinsk to be near his father-in-law and opened a synagogue there.

He passed away on 7 Tevet 5540 (16 December 1779) and was buried in Pinsk.

His descendants include several Chassidic Rebbes: his son Rabbi Dov Ber was Rebbe in Olinov, his son Rabbi Yisrael, known as "the silent", was Rebbe in Pavolitch, and some of the Rebbes of Chernobyl descend from his son Rabbi Aharon of Titiev.